Staycation guide: Vacation at home with things to do in NYC

By Time Out contributors, edited by Jonathan ShannonPosted: Monday July 21 2014

While NYC seems to have been (mostly) spared from swarming cicadas, the heat, humidity and scorching concrete might still have you ready to hop on a plane for a weekend getaway. No need: We'll help you find a respite with a staycation, whether you want to bask in the greenery of gardens, get adventurous or lounge in luxury—all without leaving the boroughs.

Flea-cation

Zen-cation

Geek-cation

Culture-cation

Burb-cation

Unemployed-cation

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Win a staycation for two at the Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC

Enter our contest for a chance to win a night's stay, complimentary spa treatments and a meal at TOY at this sleek downtown hotel.
Think NYC can’t compete with other getaways? Humor us. Three of the photos below were taken within city limits. Correctly pick the one that wasn’t and you could win a night’s stay for two at the Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC hotel, including a mind and body class for both of you, a facial or fusion massage for the winner, and a curated menu for two at the hotel's TOY restaurant.RECOMMENDED: Full list of staycation ideas Most popular in Things to Do Time Out videos Hard to tell, right? Browse our staycation ideas for getting away from it all and you'll work out the answer. Tweets by Time Out NY Tweets about "@timeoutnewyork"
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); Loading... CONTEST RULES: One entry per person. These competitions are open to any U.S. resident (unless otherwise stated) except employees of Time Out New York and sponsoring organizations, their agents or anyone directly connected to these promotions. No purchase required for this promotion. Contest valid 6/12/13 through 6/19/13 at 11:59:59pm EST. Winners must be 21 years of age or older unless otherwise stated. Prizes includes one night stay or two at the Gansevoort Meatpacking (blackout date

The space-cation staycation: Experience the wonders of space travel (2012)

Boldly go into the great beyond on this space-themed staycation, including a simulated flight to Mars. Most popular events this week We’re betting that after seeing the arrival of the Enterprise space shuttle in New York, your mind has turned to moon landings, men from Mars and space travel. Before the Enterprise opens to the public on July 19, scratch that intergalactic itch with a space-cation staycation, including an exhibition that looks at the future of space exploration.RECOMMENDED: Full list of staycation ideas Popular features in Things to Do The New York bucket list Here are the ten New York experiences you simply can’t miss. Cheap date ideas for fun-seeking New Yorkers Don’t fret, penny-pincher—each of these fun cheap date ideas will cost you $30 or less. Don’t be a tourist: Find in-the-know things to do in New York Tired of swamped tourist traps, huh? Check out these alternative things to do in New York. Lift off at Space Program: Mars at the Park Avenue Armory We’ve got about a month before we can ogle the Space Shuttle Enterprise at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum; until then, simulate a flight to the red planet on the Upper East Side. In conjunction with Creative Time, Tom Sachs’s Space Program: Mars has transformed the Armory’s 55,000-square-foot hall into an odyssey of sculpture. The artist is closing out his month-long exhibition with two special events on Saturday 16: At “Breakfast with Mars Scientists” (11am), Sachs will talk with three academics abou